The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-08-06
ANSWERED in FULL.



Little Bubbles In . Way Most Crush
Ing and Complete.
INV ORLxAxs, July IS, 1887.
To Chas. Med. Puckette Editor Of the Shreve-
port Times:
Dear Sir = Some time since my at
tentiOn was directed to communities
ton in the DeSotO Democrat, pro-
pounding certain questions to be an
swered By any friend of Gov. Nichols.
AS friend of Gov. Nichols, answer
the questions categolically, as follows !:
]. ut is said that Gen. Nichols al :
vised while Governor a Democratic
Legislature, or several members there
of, to elect Republican to the United
States Senate"
No! Gov. Nichols did not go advise |!
2. Ibid not Gov. Nichols app0ve q
bill paying the salaries of the infamous
Metropolitan Negro police who MUIR
derea the citizens of New Orleans ON
the I4th OF September, 1874, and who
fought to uphold the arpet-bagger
Kellogg in his fraudulent pretensi0ns
to the Governorship of this Statef"
Gov. Nichols did approve act No.
50 of the extra session of 1877, which
appropriated $50, 900 to pay the deficit
for mileage and per diem Of members
to the General Assembly for the regu-
lar and extra session of 1877. That act
contained proviso that $4,000 of the
amount should be used as a contingent
fund for the Governor, to be drawn
upon his order to pay any expenses and
charges incurred in any way in conse-
quence of the conflict, and termination
thereof, recently existing in this city.
Under this clause of the act sum Of
money, it is believed nearly equaling
the appropriation, was used to pay
and discharge pay roll for certain
members of the Metropolitan police
and employees who were in possession
and occupying the State house. The
payment of these employees was one
of the results of the great political
struggle in which the people of tlleS tate
we're then involved. The payment Of
these persons was arranged for by q
committee Of the joint Democratic
caucus. The action of that committee
was approved by the joint Democratic
caucus, and the bill under which the
payment was drawn was introduced
under instructions of the joint Demo-
ocratic caucus, and the bill itself was
approved by the caucus before it was
passed. In its passage in the House
(see journal extra session of 1877, p.
1911 it will be seen that the bill was
passed under suspension Of the rules,
and was voted for by large majority
of the Democratic members of the
General Assembly. BY reference to
the journal of the Senate it will be
seen that the passage of the bill in
that body was moved by DR.. Robert
son, now a warm supporter Of Gov.
McEnery, and was voted for by
large majority Of Democratic members,
among them Judge Goode, Of Terre-
bonnie; Judge A. B. George, now on
the appellate bench; Mr.. Garland, Of
Opelousas; Mr.. Texada, of Rapides;
Major Sandiford, of Red river; Mr..
Zacharie, of Orleans, and others (see
Senate Journal p. 1851. Several other
Democratic Senators who voted In the
negative, as well as others who were
absent, said they would have voted for
it had their votes been necessary for
its passage. 1t is An undeniable fact
that Gov. Wilt was . member Of the
caucus committee by which tho pay
ment of this sum of money was agreed
on. But in the opinion of the writer
he deserves no censuro therefor; on
the contrary, the payment was an act
Of wise administration brought about
by the then critical condition of the af-
fairs of the State. 1t was necessitated
by political exigencies, and the people
Of this State, by the result of this pay
ment, were spared untold sacrifices
and anguish. The st. Louis hotel was
occupied by the opposing force, and
the President of the United States
had consented to withdraw the troops
only upon the pledge that violence
would not be used to disperse the pe0-
pie collected IN the st. Louis hotel.
Their continuance there furnished =
menace and would have prolonged the
struggle in which the people had al
ready suffered enough Under these